New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-31
POISON SENT TO AGNES HERNDON.
HER NARROW ESCAPE AT THE THEATRE

| SHE EATS FRUIT BETWEEN THE ACTS AND bEcoMH'
ILI-THREATs OF A CRANK"
During the final act Of "The commercial tourists
Bride tho Union Square Theatre last nlgnt IL WAS
evident audience that everything was not exacuy
as it should be behind the Miss Agnes Herndon
the principal Of the play twice left the stage ana
when before the audience played the part in manner
great pain. 1t appears that an attempt
had been poison her. During the second act q
basket of choice fruit taken to the boxoffce by
District Telegraph messenger bearing the inscription
From an admircr
This is not an unusa at the different the
atres, and the fruit sent to tho actresses
dressing room and nothing further thought
OF the matter. At the fall OF the
curtain Joseph A. Jessel, manager for Miss Herndon,
went back OF the stage and visited the actresses room
lie ate some OF the fruit and Miss Herndon did also in
his presence She soon complained Mr. Jcsse Of feel
ing badly and grew rapidly Then Miss Herndon'
was attacked with tit OF nausea Her
maid attended to her while Mr. Jessel
ordered that the curtain be held down. He ran to
neghboring drug store and procured an emetfc
The peculiar flavor Of the fruit combined with Miss
Hcrndon's sudden sickness and suspicious white'
powderlike substance adherng to the skin OF plum
that he examined, gave him the idea that all was not
right During his absence the theatre the actress
vomlted freely and this probably saved her fe The
emetc was given to both Miss Herndon and Mr. JesseL
The actress finally recovered sufficiently to finish the
last act OF the play when she was sent TO the Aotei
Hungaria and physician called.
Mr. Jesse at the hotel after the performance
and said that Miss Hendon had been prosecuted for some
by infatuated person who began to write letters
to her at Cincinnati Some OF the letters were signed
the initials OF the name, and others famliarly by
Dewitt" They filled with silly and dreary " stun s
about the mans admiration and honest love for the
actress, talk about his lonely life and maudlln words
adae9, ss to and her. Mise Hernaon the
letters to her manager, who did not think the case
worthy Of attention. so nothing was done ,tter
from the crank After ing that he had walked part
OF the way from Cincinnati and had gone without his
nRaed sHRRSdE to buy "'A'' 70 sec n'' "''' '' '''' ~
this to and no %c
In demanding It, BE n the eornes pnFI tins as S nS
right Heaven VIII punish you II you refuse to bestow nap
morrow. Yours always. pE D.
This letter Miss Herndon turned over to her manager
and the latter kept the appointment But ne could no
discover the crank In the crowd OF people In the hotel
corridors and parlor. 49, -
on the following night note written on .oiled paper
was handed In at the stage door, which SAID;
MISS & 6Ga nave S esss vo Take cafe that
isSmcnt M nnon on yon u''' ' DE WIFI
Miss Herndon heard nothing moro OF the fellow until
Yesterday when she received through the mails the FOL
lowing unsigned note which evidently written by
the same person who had annoyed her before:
~ ~, - , mEm, w., oEn; & mSrJn nr Tcild Sy idop, not
Be @ o Rs;,joH sis a.
affection returned. You have mado mo suffer and yon
your ytsD pain will not be as mine. /. shall
bring he who suffered through you Man may
condemn for the action propose taking but ocd VIII
Jay j. Brady. OF the Union Square Theatre,
visited number OF the district messenger
offices and ascertaned that about ~
O'clock last night short stout man with small mustache
left ba sket OF ra the district office In Broadway,
with instructions that IL sent 10
Miss Hcrndon. 49,,
Dr. Seller who visited Miss Herndon at the hotel ex-
pre- ssed the opinion that the poison In the fruit was
strychnnc Two bananas containing quantity OF the
poison, have been preserved for analysis.